Finally
by LeoxRenet
Summary: Cerise got her Happily Ever After when she married Daring Charming but, low and behold, they decided to have a baby. She's restless waiting to go into labor and to get to the next part of her Happily Ever After. Of course, the journey isn't a very easy one. But, when the time finally comes, it's well worth it. Darise and a mention of Dexven, one-shot.


Hello all! I started this piece a while ago and finally finished it just now. I wanted to let you all know that I'm hard at work on the next chapter of my multi-chap EAH fic (Didn't We Almost Have It All) but, with trying to put out the best that I can, it will take some time. However, I finished this little ditty with cutesy Darise fluff in it because I had a thought about well, seeing as Cerise's ears are something she hides, wouldn't she be freaked if her child could possibly end up with ears? Well, anyway, I don't own EAH and I hope that this will help hold you over until I finish my next chapter of my other fic, enjoy!

* * *

Her highness, Lady Cerise Charming.

Lady Cerise Charming.

Lady Cerise _Charming, _as in the wife of Daring Charming.

Cerise sighed audibly as she sat up. She could only think of how uncomfortable she was and how as the days passed she only seemed to get more uncomfortable. She placed her hands on either side of her swollen belly and sighed yet again. While making the baby had been fun, waiting for the little prince or princess to arrive was killing her.

Plus, she had been put on bed rest and that made it even worse. She lay back down so that she was on her side and closed her eyes. While she probably wouldn't sleep, she kept replaying a set of words that Daring had said to her.

It had been a few days after they found out that they were expecting. Daring had held her close, given her a gentle kiss and then whispered to her,"I hope we have a girl because she'll be as beautiful as her mother."

_**As beautiful as her mother...**_

Initially, those words had filled Cerise with a certain joy and harmony. She was thrilled that she and Daring were going to be parents. Now, Henry, Dexter and Raven's son, was going to have a little cousin.

Until recently, Cerise thought she had nothing to worry about. But, underneath her impatience and want to just go into labor already, there was a fear.

That fear being that their son or daughter would be born with wolf ears, just like her.

She had tried to convince herself that it couldn't happen, that Charming genes were strong and would prevent that but, she didn't know this for a fact. She tried convincing Raven to cast a spell on her and the baby only to get a sharp no for an answer.

Raven's refusal came from the fact that magic could potentially harm Cerise and the baby and there was no way they should be taking that risk.

While Darling was more or less oblivious to what was making her sister in-law sad, she wanted to try and help. However, she came to see Cerise only to be politely asked to leave her alone.

"Cerise," Daring entered their bedroom, his expression was somewhere between concern and slight agitation.

"Daring," She spoke his name.

"Are you aware that Darling called Dexter and I and convinced us to rush back here?"

"No..."

"Well," He sat on the edge of their bed, "I'm glad she called us, I didn't want to spend another minute at that council summit."

Cerise offered a small smile to that. She was happy to have him back home. But, he already knew something was wrong and was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Not that she minded, but she didn't want to burden him with her worry.

"Daring..." Cerise looked down and away from him, she didn't want to say it, "...I'm scared..."

"Why?" He tried to meet her gaze, "What is it? I'll do anything I can to fix it. Cerise, I've long since vowed to protect..."

"I'm scared our baby will be a freak like I am," She pulled her hood forward and as much as she had been trying to fight them, she felt the tears slide down her cheeks.

The hurt Daring to hear. He knew Cerise's ears bothered her but he liked to think that she had learned to like them at the very least. She had to live with them, didn't she?

"You are by no means a freak," He had his arms around her, "As long as the baby is healthy..."

"I'm putting you and the baby in danger like this. Everyone will know about my parents...Everyone will know that I never had any right existing and I don't want anyone to think that about our child!"

She had no right existing? That hit Daring even harder.

If Cerise had never existed he never would have eaten his worlds about Royals and Rebels being from completely different worlds, he would have never experienced making love to her, he never would have fallen for her, never would have married her and would probably be stuck in a loveless marriage to Apple.

But, that wasn't it. He loved Cerise, he'd loved her since their first time together and wasn't going to stop now or ever. She knew that didn't she?

"No one will dare think that," He hugged her, "because if they do, I'll deal with them personally, by way of a sharp steel blade."

"Isn't that a little extreme?"

"Nothing is too extreme to keep you happy, m'lady."

Cerise held onto him tightly. He was quite a Charming prince, alright. He would do anything for her and despite the slight irrationality of her fear, he didn't dismiss it as nothing. He made her another promise, that he would get rid of anyone who would so much as think badly of their child. Daring loved her and their baby, if that wasn't clear before it was sure clear now.

* * *

It had been early morning, so early that it was still dark out, when Cerise went into labor. Unfortunately, due to some traditions that weren't as easily dismissed as others, she and Daring were separated while she was giving birth.

She was in labor until the sun began to set. She hadn't cried out in pain so much because her mind was elsewhere, still fixated on the worry about her child ending up with wolf ears. But, she knew that Daring would keep his promise to her about personally dealing with anyone who would judge the baby.

When she heard her child's first cries, she was the slightest bit scared of looking up, but she did.

"Congratulations Lady Cerise," The palace nurse spoke, "it's a princess!"

A girl! They had a girl and she didn't have wolf ears!

The tears started and Cerise couldn't stop them. She was relived, she was overjoyed, her and Daring's little princess was finally here.

* * *

"Even if you did have wolf ears," Cerise rocked her new born daughter in her arms, "I would still love you as much as I do now. I'm sorry I was so scared...Your father and I...We would protect you, just like my parents protected me."

Daring heard Cerise say this, he was just outside the door when she said it. That made him feel significantly better about the whole situation. He got that a certain part of Cerise had never felt wanted, based on what she said the other day about feeling like she had no right to exist. Now it was coming full-circle but, he was glad that Cerise was seeing that she did have a right to exist, that she meant the world to him and now had someone else to mean the world to.

"How are my girls?" Daring walked into the room, glad to be able to see his wife and daughter after waiting for so long.

"Fine," Cerise smiled at him, "Meet your daughter."

Daring went over to Cerise and sat at her bedside. With a little help, he was able to take their daughter form Cerise and hold her properly.

"Hello, little princess," Daring smiled down at her, "You're in need of a name, aren't you?"

This little girl was indeed, as beautiful as her mother. She'd inherited blonde hair from her father but, her eyes mirrored her mothers, she was the perfect mix of the two of them.

"What about Scarlett?" Cerise suggested, she found it might be fitting with the 'red' theme of her name and her mother's name.

"Scarlett Charming," Daring looked at her daughter as he said that and the way the baby met his eyes was all that he needed, "it's perfect, just like her."

Cerise couldn't help but smile. She, Daring and Scarlett were a family now and that was certainly reason enough to say that they'd live happily ever after.

* * *

_**A/N: Aww, see? A happy ending for Daring and Cerise and baby Scarlett! I don't know what it was but, Scarlett seemed like an appropriate name for her. Also, I for some reason always give a possible son of Raven and Dexter the name Henry, I don't **_**_know why at all but, it seems to fit (I think so anyway). I had fun writing this and can't you picture how cute and tiny little Scarlett is? I can! Hope this was fun to read and again, I hope this can help hold you guys over until my other fic is updated. Thanks!_**


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